President Mnangagwa’s Ministerial Appointments – Bill Watch 22 / 2018

President Mnangagwa’s Ministerial appointments were announced at State House on Friday afternoon, 7th September. The main swearing-in ceremony took place on 10th September, and most of the appointees took their oaths of office on this occasion. Those that were unable to attend have been sworn in since.

The new Ministerial line-up is as follows:

Cabinet Ministers and their deputies
[in alphabetical order by name of Ministry]

Defence and War Veterans
Min: Hon Oppah Zvipange Muchinguri-Kashiri
Dep Min: Hon. Victor Matemadanda

Energy and Power Development
Min: Hon. Joram M. Gumbo
Dep Min: Hon. Magna Mudyiwa

Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry
Min: Hon. Prisca Mupfumira
Dep Min: —

Finance and Economic Development
Min: Hon. Prof Mthuli Ncube *
Dep Min: —

Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Min: Hon. Sibusiso B. Moyo
Dep Min: —

Health and Child Care
Min: Hon. Dr Obediah Moyo*
Dep Min: Hon Dr John Mangwiro

Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology
Min: Hon. Prof Amon Murwira *
Dep Min: —

Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage
Min: Hon. Cain Mathema *
Dep Min: Hon. Michael Madiro

Industry and Commerce
Min: Hon. Mangaliso Ndlovu
Dep Min: Hon Rajeshakumar Modi

Information Communication Technology and Courier Services
Min: Hon. Kazembe Kazembe
Dep Min: Hon. Jerifan Muswere

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services
Min: Hon. Monica Mutsvangwa
Dep Min: Hon. Energy Mutodi

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs
Min: Hon. Ziyambi Ziyambi
Dep Min: —

Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement
Min: Hon. Chief Air Marshal P. Shiri
Dep Min: Hon. Douglas Karoro + Hon. Vangelis Haritatos

Local Government, Public Works and National Housing
Min: Hon. July G. Moyo *
Dep Min: Hon. Jennifer Mhlanga

Mines and Mining Development
Min: Hon. Winston Chitando
Dep Min: Hon. Polite Kambamura

Primary and Secondary Education
Min: Hon. Prof Paul Mavima
Dep Min: Hon. Edgar Moyo

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare
Min: Hon. Sekesai Nzenza
Dep Min: Hon. Lovemore Matuke

Transport and Infrastructural Development
Min: Hon. Joel Biggie Matiza
Dep Min: Hon. Fortune Chasi

Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development
Min: Hon. Sithembiso G. G. Nyoni
Dep Min: —

Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation
Min: Hon. Kirsty Coventry *
Dep Min: Hon. Yeukai Simbanegavi

Notes from Veritas

1. There are six Ministers in this list [each marked by an asterisk *] who are not members of Parliament – one more than the five that the Constitution allows the President to appoint from outside Parliament [section 104(3)]. Unlike the former Constitution, the Constitution does not allow a Minister to hold office for up to three months to enable him/her to acquire a Parliamentary seat. So a mistake has been made by the President’s advisers and one of these six Ministers has not been lawfully appointed. This is something that needs to be cleared up by the Office of the President and Cabinet as soon as possible – if necessary, by the appointment of an Acting Minister for the Ministry concerned pending a lawful substantive appointment.
2. Deputy Ministers are appointed to assist Ministers in the exercise of their functions [Constitution, section 104(2)].
3. There are 20 Ministries. 6 of them are without Deputy Ministers, notably Finance and Economic Development, and Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs – both of which are major Ministries with sufficient responsibilities to justify the appointment of Deputy Ministers. The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement has two Deputy Ministers, maintaining recent practice by both Presidents Mugabe and Mnangagwa.
4. Dr Mangwiro’s appointment as Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care was announced this week. He was sworn in on 11th September.

Ministers of State in the Offices of the Vice-Presidents

• Vice-President Chiwenga’s Office: Hon. Evelyn Ndlovu
• Vice-President Mohadi’s Office: Hon. Davis Marapira

Neither of the Vice-Presidents has been assigned responsibility for a particular Ministry. This is a departure from President Mnangagwa’s previous arrangements, under which VP Chiwenga was assigned the Ministry of Defence and War Veterans and VP Mohadi the Ministry of National Peace and Reconciliation. His assignment of the Ministry of Defence and War Veterans to VP Chiwenga had been strongly criticised as unconstitutional, with critics referring to the fact that section 215 of the Constitution provides that the President must appoint a Minister to be responsible for the Defence Forces.

Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs
[in alphabetical order by name of province]

• Bulawayo: Hon. Judith Ncube
• Harare: —
• Manicaland: Hon. Ellen Gwaradzimba
• Mashonaland Central: Hon. Monica Mavhunga
• Mashonaland East: Hon. Appllonia Munzverengi
• Mashonaland West: Hon. Mary Mliswa
• Masvingo: Hon. Ezra Chadzamira
• Matabeleland North: Hon. Richard Moyo
• Matabeleland South: Hon. Abednico Ncube
• Midlands: Hon. Larry Mavima

As the President has repeatedly said his Government will be implementing the constitutional provisions for devolution of powers and responsibilities to provincial and metropolitan councils, the appointment of provincial Ministers of State may in due course become redundant. When devolution has been achieved and provincial councils have assumed control of provincial affairs and resources, having Provincial Affairs Ministers may prove to be an unnecessary and therefore wasteful expense for the fiscus.

Souce: Veritas